Vehicle-body.



E. H. WRIGHT.

VEHICLE BODY. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2!. 1913.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

[Ii/TNESSES E. H. WRIGHT.

VEHICLE BODY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. I9I3.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. 1. WRIGHT.

VEHICLE BODY. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1913.

1 1 76,33 1 Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTOR MW. 7 In 7% EHAERY H. WRIGHT, 01E BRYANT, SOUTHDAKOTA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, i ilti.

Application filed February 21, 1913. Serial No. 749,932.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELLERY H. WRIGHT, citizenof the United States, residing at Bryant, in the'county of Hamlin andState of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Vehicle-Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to convertible vehicles and more particularly toan automobile orother motor vehicle body.

" "The primary object of the invention is to provide a desirable vehiclebody of strong durable construction and of attractive appearance, whichcan be quickly and easily converted into' either a one seated vehicle,capable of use as an uncovered runabout, or

into a two seated vehicle capable otuse as an uncovered touring car,such conversion in no way destroying the symmetrical out line of thebody or rendering portions thereof unbalanced.

A further object of the invention contemplates the provision bf simpleand efi'icient means whereby the several embodiments comprising theinvention may be folded in such a novel and peculiar manner as toproduce a car body of neat and attractive outward appearance.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision ofsuitable means whereby the vehicle can be converted from a one to a twoseated vehicle, or vice versa, without disconnecting any of the parts,the several parts embodying the invention being so arranged as to foldor fit perfectly within the interior of the car body so as to in no waydisfigure or otherwise detract from th outward appearance ofthe car. 1

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as areillustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings,described in the followin specification, and the more particularlypointed out in the ciaims which are appended hereto and form a part ofthis appllcation.

In describing my invention in detaii reterence will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figurel-is a side elevation of a carbody constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the body being shown as a oneseated vehicle. Fig. 3 is a. longitudinal sectional view of the car bodyas illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 4.- is a similar view as illustrated inFig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the car body as shown in Fig.2.

Proceeding now to the description of the drawings wherein asillustratedthe preferred form of my invention the numeral 1 designates the base ofthe car body having 7 to the sides 2 of the vehicle, the said seat beingprovided with a back 8 pivotally connected as at 9 through the medium ofdiametrically opposite links 10 extending from the back to the pivotpoint 9 where the said back is secured to the sides 11 of the seat 6.When the car body is opened as. illustrated in 1" igs. i and 3 of thedrawings the sides 11 of the seat 6 lieflat upon the sides 2 of thevehicle, while the seat itself rests upon a cross bar 12 connecting thetwo sides of the car body at apoint directly beneath the said seat 6."The car sides 2 are cut away as at 13 adjacent the seat 6 and in therear of the seat 3 whereby access may be had to the interior of the carbody when the said seat 6 is in use. When so used, sectional doors,comprising a main section 14 and a smaller section 15 are adapted toclose the cut out portion 13 of the vehicle, the smaller portion 15being hingedly connected as at 16 to the inner forward edge of the cutout por-- tion 13, while the main section 14 of the door is hingedlyconnected as at 17 to the said smaller section 15. By this constructionit will be seen that swinging of the doorin either direction ispermitted, the door swing ing outwardly upon the hinges 17 and inwardlyupon the hinge 16, the purpose of which wlll hereinafter fully'appear.notch 18 is provided upon one edge of each door portion 1% to permitclosing of the latter within the cut out portion 18, the hinge 'Z of therear seat adapted to fit within the said recess 18 when the said door isin closed position.-

To fold the seat, as is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings the doorsare folded inwardly upon the hinges 16 so as to lie parallel and againsta. strip 19 secured to the rear face of the forward seat 3. Afterfolding the doors as just described the back 8 of the rear seat is swungupon its pivot until the upper edge of the said back is brought intoengagement with the forward edge of the seat 6; whereupon the entireseat is raised upon the hinges 7 and swung until the sides 11 of theseat fit within the cut out portions 13 left vacant by the inwardswinging of the doors, the back 8 of the said seat fitting entirelywithin the interior of the car body as shown in Fig, 4. The rear edge ofthe seat 6 is beveled as at 20 upon which the beveled edge 21 of theseat back 8 rests, thereby forminga" perfect connection between the saidseat and the back. When in closed position the said beveled edge '20comes in contact with the closed doors 1-1, allowing the sides 11 tofold tightly within thecut out portions 13 of the body sides 2.

Access may be had to the rear interior of the car body by reason of a'door 22 which is hingedly connected as at 23 to the cross bar 12, therear extremity of the said door 22 being provided with a subsidiary orsupple-- mental door portion 24 hingedly connected as at 25 to the mainportion 22, the said second door 25 permitting access to the interior ofthe car body when the latter is used as a two seated vehicle, otherwiseaccess could not be had thereto as the rear seatwhen unfolded is broughtinto engagement with the said door 22, thereby preventing opening of thedoor as long as such seat remains intact.

. for closing the cut out portions 13 of the vehicle sides when the saidseat is folded or in closed position; that the creation of a double doorat the rear end of the vehicle body permits access to the interior ofthe car, regardless of the position of the seat 6, as the entire doormay be raised when the seat is in folded position and the smallerportion thereof raised or opened when in opened position.

' It will be understood from the above taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings that the doors 14 fold inwardly in such a manneras to allow the sides 11 to fold or fit within the cut out portions 13;

that the pivotal arrangement of the seatback 8 permits folding of thesaid seat without separating or disconnecting any of the parts thereofand that the entire car body may be converted easily and quickly from aone seated to a two seated car as desired or as occasion demands.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanyingdrawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of myinvention and that various' minor changes in the details ofconstruction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be made within thescope of the appended claims and without sacrificing any of theadvantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A convertible vehicle body having a portion of its respective sidescut away to provide spaces therein, a seat movable bodily into and outof a position for use, the sides of the seat when in the latter positionfitting the spaces aforesaid, a support for the seat when in use, anddoors fitting the spaces mentioned, each door comprising relativelymovable door sections, the said sections per-,

mitting movement of the doors bodily inwardly and out of the spacesmentioned to provide for movement of the seat in th manner beforedescribed.

2. In a convertible vehicle, the combination of a body having sidesprovided with cut out portions, doors hingedly connected to said sidesadapted to swing either inwardly or outwardly from within the said outout portions, a seat hingedly connected to the sides of said body at therear of said out out portions, a seat back pivotally connected to thesides of the said seat-,"the "said back when swung upon such pivotsadapted to condition the seat for folding into the in-.

, terior of the car body the sides of the seat fitting within the cutout portionsof the body sides, the doors having been swung inwardly uponthe hinges provided for that purpose for converting the body into eithera one or a two seated vehicle.

3; In a convertible vehicle, the combinetion of a body,'the sides ofwhich have cut out portions formed therein, doors hingedly connected tothe sides of said body portion and normally closing the said out outportions, the said doors being composed of two independent sections, oneof which is hingedly connected to the other for allowing the doors toopen either inwardly or outwardly from the said car body, a seathingedly connected to the sides of said bod at-the rear of said cut outportions, a bac pivotally connected to the sides of said seat, the saidback adapted to be swung upon its pivot so as to allow the seat to beswung upon hinges for folding the same within the interior of the carbody, the sides, of the said seat fitting within the cut out portions,the doors being swung inwardly, the movement of the said seat convertingthe body into either a one or a two seated vehicle.

4. In a convertible vehicle, the combina tion of a body having a seatsecured thereto, the sides of the said body being provided with cut outportions at the rear of said seat, doors hingedly connected to the sidesof said body portion for normally closing the said cut out portions, aseat hingedly connected to the said body sides at the rear of said outout portion, a back pivotally mounted upon the sides of said seat, thesaid back when swung upon its pivot adapted to condition the seat forfolding inwardly into the interior of the car body, the sides of thesaid seat fitting within the cut out portions of the body sides, thedoors folding inwardly upon their hinges, the movement of the said seatconverting the said body into either a one or a two seated vehicle.

5. In a convertible vehicle, the combination of a body having animmovable seat formed thereupon, the sides of the said body having cutout portions formed therein at the rear of said immovable seat, ahingedly connected seat mounted upon the said sides at the rear of saidout out portions, a back pivotally mounted upon the inner face of thesides of said seat, the said back adapted to swing inwardly upon itspivot so as to allow the said seat to fold inwardly into the interior ofthe car body, the sides of the seat fitting within the cut out portionsof the body sides, doors hingedly connected to the said body sidesadapted to normally close the said out out portions, the same swinginginwardly into the interior of the car when the immovable seat is infolded position and means including a pair of hingedly connected doorsmounted upon the rear top end of the vehicle body adapted to openupwardly for permitting access to the interior of the said car body.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELLERY H. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

WILL CRossLANn, O. L. MGLAIN.

